Catalogue order card binder



w. NEER 2,878,13

CATALOGUE ORDER CARD BINDER .F iled June 15, 1 956 Eli E 1222277" I WL/llam Near United States l atent CATALOGUE ORDER CARD BINDER William Neer, Waukegan, Ill., assignor to Jewell Tea Co.

This invention relates generally to inventory catalogues and order cards and more particularly relates to improved methods and means for positioning and retaining looseleaf sheets or cards in side-by-side alignment and recording statistical information thereon.

Although the principles of the present invention are of general utility, a particularly useful application is found in connection with the maintenance of a running inventory record such as is required in the operation of a large volume food market. There is provided a binder device providing a fiat support surface for a plurality of looseleaf catalogue sheets bearing inventory information with respect to the stock on hand. A plurality of order cards of the type adapted to have marked thereonelectrically conductive indicia markings for use in automatic tabulator machines are arranged in side-by-side relation to the looseleaf sheets. The cards and the looseleaf sheets are retained at one longitudinally extending edge by a ring binder, thereby facilitating use of both sides of the sheets or cards and the body member is particularly characterized by the provision of at least a pair of pins projecting upwardly from the support surface in laterally spaced relation to the ring binder. The projecting pins are also a spaced apart from one another longitudinally and are positioned to retain and align adjoining laterally extending edges of the adjacent sheets or cards in relativel fixed position on the surface. I

It is further contemplated, according to the principles of the present invention, to equip the binder device with a pivotal handle on the back surface thereof to facilitate use of the device by either right-handed or left-handed operators.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to i provide a binder device which effects accurate alignment between a catalogue sheet and an order card, even though I retained within the device by a looseleaf-type ring binder.

It is another object of the present invention to provide;

a device for binding catalogue sheets and order cards and for retaining the sheets and cards in aligned position even though the ring binder apertures in the pages are torn.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a ring binder device for catalogue sheets and order cards. which is rugged in construction and simple in operation.

Yet another object of thepresent invention is to provide a catalogue order card binder which facilitates use.

of both sides of the catalogue sheets and order cards, but

which will lock the sheets and cards in aligned side-by-side relation in use. 7

A further object of the present invention is to providea binder with a pivoted handle which will facilitate use thereof by right-handed or left-handed operators.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheet-of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment of a catalogue order card binder embodying the principlesof the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

Figure l is a broken elevational view of a catalogue order card binder provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side broken elevational view of the binde device of Figure l; and

Figure 3- is a greatly reduced rear elevational view of the binder device shown in Figures 1 and 2.

As shown on the drawings:

The binder device of the present invention is indicated generally by the reference character A and includes'a longitudinally extending backbone portion B having pro-' jecting laterally therefrom a first body portion C having a support surface D on one face thereof and a second body portion E formed with a support surface F on one face thereof.

On a back surface G formed on the body portion C, an elongate handle H is provided. The handle H is formed with an offset lug I suitably apertured to receivea pivot pin such as may be provided by a rivet J, thereby swingably mounting the handle H for movement relative to the body portion C. A support lug K is oifset from the opposite end of the handle H and has an enlarged bearing surface for engaging up against the back surface G on the body portion C in whatever position of adjustment is desired by the user of the binding wdevice A- In. Figure 3, for example, the handle H is shown in full line and in dotted line position, the two positions being representative of alternative positions likely to be selectedby i right-handed user and a left-handed user. 5

A longitudinally extending ring binderL having a phi-t rality of rings indicated at M is assembled on the backbone portion B between the oppositelyextending support; surfaces D and F, and is retained thereon in firm assembly by a plurality of fasteners such as the'screws N.? For convenience in the further descriptionofthe invention; the rings are indicated at M1, M2 and M3.;

There is provided, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, a catalogue sheet 0 which hasa. longitudinally extending marginal edge P formed withpa pair of spaced apertures Q and R. 'Theapertures Q and R engage ,the rings M1 and M2, respectively. Theindiciai, bearing surface of the catalogue sheet 0, extendsjaterally; from the ring binder L and spreads over the supportsurface F on the body portion E, or if turned onits opposite; side,.spr eads over the support surface D of thebodypoh; tion C. 1-.

The catalogue sheet 0 illustrated constitutesa typical catalogue sheet as is used in food store practice- 1 Thus, the first column S indicates the item numberand the; second column T indicates the number of goods inpthe shipping package more particularly described the ffdeg" scription column indicated at U. 1 The, size of .th e;;pa'ck-, age in which the goods are provided is indicated in the column V and the selling price is shown in the column W. Four subdivided columns are provided to indicate the inventory on hand in column X and the amount to be ordered in the column Y. Line numbers are designated in the column Z.

An order card is shown at AA. The order card AA is of the type utilized for converting recorded information into electrical signals and in the particular form illustrated has a plurality of indicators BB which can be marked with a marking pencil of the type adapted to apply to the selected designator BB an electrically conductive indicia which will cooperate with suitable mechanism of automatic business machines.

Thus, there is a first column on the order card AA which indicates line numbers, the column being shownv at CC and the face of the card is divided into three columns'DD, EE and FF to afford various number combinations over a selected range. For example, to indicate any number between 1 and 10, an appropriate designator BB in the column DD or EE is marked. Toindicate a number between 10 and 20, the designator under 10 in column FF is marked together with anappropriate designator BB in the columns DD and EE.

The catalogue sheet is provided with a page number as at GG and a corresponding indication can be made on the order card AA at a horizontally extending row of indicia indicated at HH.

Because food market inventories vary widely as to the type of stock in difierent stores and also as to the stock on hand for different seasons of the year, it is highly desirable that looseleaf catalogue. sheets be provided to afford the necessary flexibility required. For efficient use of the order cards AA, however, there must be perfect alignment between the catalogue sheet 0 and the order card AA. Any ordinary looseleaf binding is characterized by so much relative misalignment as tomake the effective use of the order cards impractical. Permanent bindings, of course, are far too expensive and perforated tear cards are undesirable since replacement of the order cards would require reprinting of all of the catalogue sheets.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the support surfaces D and F are characterized by theprovision thereon of at least a pair of pins projecting upwardly in laterally spaced relation to the ring binder L and spaced apart from one another longitudinally to retain and align adjoining laterally extendingv edges. of the adjacent sheet 0 and card AA on the corresponding support surface.

Thus, the catalogue sheet 0 has a laterally extending edge H which is positioned directly adjacent the later-ally extending edge I] of the order card AA. Adjacent the edge II and spaced laterally from the longitudinal edge P of the order sheet 0, there is a locating pin KK carried by the body portion E and projecting upwardly from the support surface F into engagement with a corresponding aperture LL formed in the catalogue sheet O. The aperture LL is formed in the comer bounded by the lateral edge II and the outermost longitudinal edge MM of the catalogue sheet 0 and, accordingly, does not obscure any of the indicia markings on the catalogue sheet 0.

A second locating pin NN is carried on the body portion E and projects upwardly from the support surface F for engagement with an aperture 00 formed in the order card AA. The aperture 00 is formed adjacent the lateral edge 11 of the order card AA and also adjacent a. longitudinal edge PP on the outermost portion of the card AA.

The inner longitudinal edge QQ of the order card AA has an aperture RR formed therein for cooperation with.

the ring MS of the ring binder L.

Because of the size of the catalogue sheet 0 and be cause the quality of the paper stock employed in some catalogue sheets, it may be desirable to provide an addi It will be understood that the body portion C is provided with corresponding locating pins. Similar reference characters have been applied for the sake of convenience. It will be noted that the aperture 00 formed in the order card AA is in the extreme corner position, thereby providing the alignment feature without obscuring or interfering with the sensing marks affixed on the designators BB. The alignment pins SS, KK and NN hold the sheet and card members in alignment even though the ring binder apertures Q, R and RR may be enlarged or if the edge portions thereof are torn.

. If desired, the binder device A may be provided with an extension portion UU having a clip W for carrying a marking pencil WW of the type including a marking compound XX adapted to provide sensing indicia marks on the designators BB of the order card AA.

Although various minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my con tribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A catalogue binder device comprising a body member providing a fiat support surface, a plurality of matched pairs of looseleaf sheets or cards arranged in side-by-side relation on said surface, a longitudinally extending ring binder on said body member common to both of each said pair of sheets or cards and binding one longitudinal edge of the matched pairs of sheets or cards, and at least one pair of pins carried by said body member and projecting perpendicularly upwardly from said surface in laterally spaced relation to said ring binder and spaced apart from one another longitudinally, each said sheet or card having an aperture for snugly receiving a correspond ing pin to retain and align adjoining laterally extending edges of adjacent sheets or cards on said surface.

2. A catalogue device comprising a body member providing a generally rectangular support surface, a longitudinally extending ring binder on said body member dividing said surface into first and second support surfaces on said body member extending laterally from opposite sides of said ring binder, a plurality of matched pairs. of looseleaf sheets or cards attached to said ring binder and having laterally extending inner edges disposed across said surfaces adjacent one another, and a pair of pins for each of said first and second surfaces carried by said body member and projecting upwardly from each of said first and second surfaces perpendicular relationship thereto and in laterally spaced relation to said ring binder, each of said pins being spaced longitudinally with respect to one another, each matched pair of looseleaf sheets or cards having a corresponding pair of apertures formed therein snugly receiving said pins to'retain and align said adjoining laterallyextending edges side-by-side relation on said surface, a longitudinally extending binding means on said body member common to both of each said pair of sheets or cards and binding one'longitudinal edge of the matched pairs of sheets'or cards, and at least one pair of-pins carried by said body member and projecting perpendicularly upwardly from 5 6 said surface in laterally spaced relation t0 said binding References Cited in the file of this patent means and spaced apart from one another longitudinally, UNITED STATES PATENTS each said sheet or card having an aperture for snugly receiving a corresponding pin to retain and align adjoin- 1,127,051 McCormick at 1915 ing laterally extending edges of adjacent sheets or cards 5 1329910 Lanlbert 1920 on said surface 2,579,915 Flatm et a1. Dec. 25, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 945,582 France Apr. 22, 1947 614,253 Great Britain Dec. 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 2,878,813 v March 24, 195

William Neer recte'd below In the grant, lines 2 and 12, and in the heading to the pririted spieciii cation, lines 3 and 4, name of assigne'e, for "Jewell Tea Co, Inca each occurrence, read Jewel Tea Co. Inc.,

Signed and sealed this 25th day of August 1959.

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL AXLINE ROBERT c. WATSON Attesting Officer comnissione r of Patents 

